The Scandinavian Alps

In the small village of Hemsedal you are greeted by alpine mountain surroundings and some of Norway’s best skiing and fly-fishing.

Stable snow conditions and plenty of ski lifts and slopes have made Hemsedal, an alpine ski resort in the mountains halfway between Oslo and Bergen, one of the largest and most popular places for winter holidays in Norway. Travelling to Hemsedal is easy and there are several options for getting here and around.

Hemsedal Skisenter has wide and long pistes, several terrain parks and designated areas for children, whilst neighbouring Solheisen is a smaller ski area in the nearby Grøndalen Valley. The two areas provide varied terrain to suit the whole family.

The resort as a whole also offers excellent off-piste and cross-country skiing conditions, as well as a vast repertoire of non-skiing activities like dog sledding, snowshoeing, ice climbing and horse sleigh riding. And there is no lack of places to stay, from grand hotels to comfortable cottages, cabins and chalets.

And there are plenty of things to do here when the snow is gone, too. The Hemsila river offers top-notch opportunities for fly-fishing. The lush and varied nature surroundings provide an ideal base for activities including hiking, climbing, horseback riding and cycling.

Hemsedal is also an excellent starting point for mountain biking. At Hemsedal Skisenter you can take your bike on a chair lift up to 1,100 metres and try the downhill park, or cycle further into the mountains. The many graded and signed routes run through a scenery of majestic mountains and vigorous valleys.

Rjukandefossen, one of many impressive waterfalls in the area, is a powerful two-part waterfall, falling 18 metres through a narrow gulley. Nearby Hydnefossen is one of the highest waterfalls in Norway, with a main fall of 155 metres.

Hemsedal village has a range of accommodation options, restaurants, cafes, bars and shops. After a day in the slopes you can join the après-ski or dance to the hottest DJ’s at one of Hemsedal’s nightclubs.

Winter season in Hemsedal

The slopes in Hemsedal range from very easy green runs to difficult black ones, and if you like to venture off the slopes, the area has great off-piste skiing and fun après-ski, as well as a range of other winter activities to choose from.

Think reasons, not seasons

In the spring, summer and autumn, you can go for numerous hikes in the mountains, try your hand at fly fishing in some of Norway’s best areas for freshwater fishing,
or race your bike downhill in Hemsedal Bike Park.

By train

By bus

There are daily express buses between Oslo and Hemsedal every day all year round. The buses go via Oslo Airport and Hønefoss.

Local travel

A local bus takes you from the Gol train station to Hemsedal.

In winter, you can take a shuttlebus from Hallingdal city centre to the ski resort.

By car

If driving from Oslo to Hemsedal, follow the E18 towards Drammen. Exit at Sandvika, follow the E16 towards Hønefoss for 45 kilometres. Take the exit towards Rv7 and Gol. Make a right after Gol, onto Rv52 towards Hemsedal. The journey takes about 3 hours.

From Bergen, follow the E16 towards Lærdal to Borlaug. After Borlaug, exit towards Hemsedal and follow Rv52. The trip takes approximately 4 hours.

If it’s peace and quiet you are after, you can do much worse than exploring the many seemingly endless lakes and streams in Norway with a fishing rod in hand. In many cases, you will have the place all to yourself.

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